The Batman Family
by GoldBoss315
Summary: After a brutal showdown with the Joker, the Batman Family assemble to help Batman fight him off.
1. Chapter 1

"HA HE HA HE HA HA!" The Joker squealed with delight as the caped crusader lay, dripping with blood, at his feet. "I WIN. I WIN I WIN I WIN! Sorry Batsy, I've finally topped you. There is nothing you can do to stop me now. The Gotham cathedral will be nothing but dust."

"No," the dark knight croaked. "I will stop you. I will prevail."

"Oh, will you now?" The jokers grin widened flashing his scars to the dark knight. "Too late."

The flat back of the clown prince's crowbar cracked batman's jaw in three spots. Struggling to his feet, the dark knight's wounded body failed and he blacked out.

"In all of the destruction in the city, we all must ask, where is the Batman?"

"Alfred, how is he?" a worried Dick Grayson inquired of the elderly butler.

"He will pull through, but it would be a smidge easier to operate if I didn't have to answer your question every forty five seconds."

"You're the one who called me here, Alfred. And it's really good you did. I had just enough time to clear the cathedral of all the people. At least this time, the joker only destroyed a building. And those can be rebuilt."

The slap of the butler removing his surgery gloves rang through the silent hall. A small smile spread onto Alfred's face. "You have learned much, Master Richard. I think it's time we all took a rest."

"So, he's okay ? "

"He will be Master Richard. He needs his sleep, as we all do."

So soft. It's all so soft, so wonderfully puffy and soft,

His eyes shot open. He stared in disbelief at the fact he was at home. In his bed.

"You had quite a nasty tumble, Master Bruce." Alfred gently noted as he briskly strode into the room.

"Thdggk?"

"Don't try to speak, Master Bruce. I had to set your jaw, and until it heals you shouldn't be flapping it."

The old butler drew up a chair, and the pleasant smile on his face was replaced by a cold dread.

"Bruce. I know how important batman is. I know that the city can't survive without him. But I also know if you keep galavanting around the city like this, you are going to die. And I swore I would protect you. "

The battered billionaire's eyes hardened.

_We are not having this discussion again. I am the Batman. The world needs the__Batman. Neither of those things will be changing soon. _

"I'm not saying you should stop being batman. I know without you, the city would eat itself..."

_And. _

"…and the Justice League would crumble..."

_And._

"And the world would be consumed by some unstoppable threat.

But at this rate, it's all going to happen anyway. One of these times, one of them is going to get lucky, like the Joker did, and instead of letting you live for fun and torture, like he did, they will just kill you.

Ever since Damian died, you have become reckless, with no respect for your mortality. "

A rage sparked in the dark knight's eyes at the mention of his dead son, the last robin.

_You. Will stop talking. Now. You will get up and leave. We will never have this__conversation again. _

"No. Bruce, this has gone on for far too long. You are going to get yourself killed, and I cannot let that happened. I took the liberty of summoning the family here. Everyone is downstairs. When you are more capable, we will discuss, as a group, the future of the Batman. "

_You brought them here._

"Yes, I did. And I would do it again. "

Bruce sat up and removed the guard in his jaw preventing from moving his mouth. He stood, dressed and went downstairs without uttering a single word.

"So, Dick, how's Bludhaven?" asked Gordon

"Somehow, I managed to find a place doing off worse than Gotham. Don't know how, but I did. It's a mess in Bludhaven. Anyway, how's the PD?"

"Tim! It's been a while. I missed you!" Batgirl exclaimed gleefully

"Yeah, it's been way too long. How's it been for you?" Red Robin responded.

"I'm not sure I belong here." a worried Batwoman confided to Selina

"Don't be ridiculous. This is a meeting of everyone who has fought for and with Bruce, and that includes you. If anything, you belong here more than anyone, you were inspired to make the Batwoman persona from afar. The rest of us needed him to teach us, whereas you did it yourself." Catwoman stated.

"Enough ".

Even in a room of his friends and family, a single harsh word from the Dark Knight shuts down everything else in the room. ".

"All of you. There is no immediate threat, so leave." His icy tone showed how this was a decree, not a suggestion.

There are very few people in the world who can say 'no' to the Dark Knight. But, this was a fully stocked room of those very few people.

"Bruce you can't carry on like this. You're going to get yourself and many others killed." Nightwing announced. "Don't misunderstand. The world needs the batman. But batman doesn't need to fight alone."

"As I said, I invited them all." the Brit explained as he came down the stairs behind the batman. "For a team of sorts."

"Well, not a team, per say. But a family."

A grin spread upon red robins face.

"A Batman Family."


	2. Chapter 2

"No." The Dark Knight had not been swayed.

"Bruce, we're not taking no for an answer." Tim persisted.

An uncomfortable Katherine Kane took this opportunity to chime in, "How about a trial run?"

Some of the most penetrating eyes in the world focused their glare on her. She held her ground, staring straight back.

"We're not taking no for an answer, and you're being stubborn, so how about a compromise, in the form of a trial run?"

A flame lit in the mind of Tim Drake, "Yeah, we take out the joker, and if we succeed faster and more efficiently than you have in the past, than this team stays."

Bruce's scowl deepened. His entire frame shifted, as if preparing for combat. Finally, his lips pursed, and uttered: "Fine. But this is happening on my terms. "

"Joker. It's over." Nightwing bellowed in a monotone voice.

"Always trying to be like him, aren't you? How about I leave you like him: Broken and bloody about to die?" The hairs on the back of Joker's neck prickled, and his bleeding grimace drooped into a sarcastic grin, "Why does the Bat always come alone, but you show up in groups? I guess I'll have to fix that." He drew his revolver from his purple coat, and fired three times into the shadows.

"AAAAUUUUGGHHH"

The blood from the gunshot wound was barely visible against the crimson of Tim Drake's uniform, as the third robin dropped from his perch, the Kevlar in his suit unable to hold up against three armor-piercing rounds to the same spot: three-quarters of an inch above his heart.

"RED" roared Nightwing, turning to face the tumbling boy wonder, only to be shot immediately in the inside of his knee, which caused him to crumple. Batgirl and Batwoman plunged down into the center of the room a moment after dropping several smoke bombs, snatched up the wounded boys as they went and vanished into the shadows.

The Cat pounced from behind the Clown Prince of Crime as he cackled, her claws mere centimeters from slicing his throat before the tripwire shotgun Catwoman slipped activated and blew her to the corner.

"JOKER. THIS IS THE GCPD. SURRENDER NOW OR WE WILL USE LETHAL FORCE" blared through the room, echoing across the walls. A little red and black jester hat poked out of the side door, calling

"Oh, Mister JAAAAY! We should probably skedaddle before the police pop in!" Her hip jutted jutted out, brandishing the chain of Police Badges strung around her shoulder stretching down to her lower thigh.

The Joker's frame slouched as he started whining "But Harley…" He straightened himself and rolled his eyes. "Fine," he grumbled. He strutted toward Harley, and upon reaching her, they began to waltz out, singing:

_Mister J?_

_Do you wanna kill the Batman?_

_Come on, let's paint the town_

_I never see you anymore, _

_Come out the door,_

_Your smile's become a frown!_

_We used to be a duo, and now we're not_

_I wish you would tell me why!_

_Do you wanna kill the Batman?_

_It doesn't have to be the Batman! _


	3. Chapter 3

Bruce's scowl deepened. His entire frame shifted, as if preparing for combat. Finally, his lips pursed, and uttered: "Only on my terms."

"Gordon. You are casting the net to find him. Get the force out and on recon. Next, Dick, Tim, Barbara, Katherine, and Selina: We are the strike team. We will also be looking for the Joker, and once located we will close in and capture him."

Dick furrowed his brow, "Bruce you're not participating in this any further. If you try to fight the Joker in this state, you'll die. He will kill you."

Bruce glared intensely at Dick, studying his former partner for what he was going to do next.

"Get to work. Now."

The room shifted, Gordon, Katherine and Selina stood, Tim stopped leaning on the wall and Barbara shifted her weight to the balls of her feet. Everyone braced themselves.

"Bruce. This is a team you will lead. But the Joker _just_ beat you within an inch of your life. You haven't healed enough to take him on. You'll be staying in the cave, and coordinating things from there."

The Caped Crusader straightened himself. "No. Stand down. I will complete this mission, and whether or not you're a part of it is up to you."

The frustration in Nightwing's eyes burned like a pile of dead leaves doused in gasoline. His fist clenched, ready to fire right into Batman's severely broken jaw.

Alfred, who had been simply observing up until this point, raised his cane, and jabbed Batman in the side with it, activating the built in Taser and pushing the already incredibly weakened Dark Knight into a state of unconsciousness.

His crystal blue eyes shot open as he sat up, on the Batcave's medical table. He winced as his feet made contact with the ground, every imaginable nerve flaring with pain. He stood and strode over to the Batcomputer, grinding his teeth as he sat down.

"Computer: Open primary communication frequency."

A blue window with fluctuating bars appeared on the screen. It was quickly followed by Gordon's gruff voice blaring out of the speakers, "… going on and on about how some man in a trench coat and converse saved him from a murderous clown over on the East End. The guy's clearly nuts, but it's a lead." Batgirl's much calmer voice piped in next, "Thanks, Dad. I'll skip to that area and keep looking."

Batman had heard enough. He rose and limped a step before the clear, British voice of Alfred went through the cave, "You might not wish to do that, sir. The medication you…" The pounding in Batman's ears distorted the words beyond recognition. The radio continued to blare in the voices that Batman had come to know well over the years, as he leaned on the console for stability. The Brit continued as well, "…worn off by now. It is actually quite remarkable you can stand at all." The aging butler rushed to guide Batman to the computer chair before he collapsed.

Alfred straightened and stood at attention. "Shall I make tea?" He inquired. Bruce grunted, and the butler went off to start the kettle.

"Computer. Identify and trace all transmitters on the Primary Communication Frequency."

Police badge, gold bat, red bat, yellow "R", cat, and blue hawk symbols appeared scattered across the map of Gotham, although they were all converging on the location of the gold bat.

Leaning forward to reach some of the keys, Bruce addressed the group, "Cave-1 online."

Dick paused for a moment before responding, "Copy that Cave-1. The Joker has been located with Harley over on the East End. We're all meeting there for immediate apprehension."


	4. Chapter 4

The police formed a four block perimeter, remaining out of sight of the goons circling the rooftop and stationed at each door. Without a sound, five shadows took out all of the goons on the rooftop, and then dropped to the entrances, Nightwing taking the front doors, Batgirl and Red Robin taking the left side, and Batwoman and Catwoman taking the right side. Within a matter of seconds, there was no one conscious outside of the building.

Black dress shoes stuck out in the air, dripping red grin stretched from ear to ear, and floppy dirty green bow tie resting on his chest, the Joker sat sideways in his red leather and grimy gold throne, tossing a small metal thumb with a bright red button to himself.

A single swift, powerful kick dislodged the entire door, sending it sprawling into the middle of the room. Nightwing stepped through the hole, prepared for combat.

"Would it have killed you to knock?" The Joker probed at him, only to see the glowing lights of the bomb he had rigged to the knocker a few hours earlier.

"Oh yes, I suppose it would have." The Joker's ensuing cackle echoed across the walls of the room, reaching the ears of the four shadows as they crouched in the darkness.

Nightwing began to advance at the Clown Prince of Crime, before he waved the small metal object he had been fiddling with at Nightwing.

"You know what this is, boy?" The Joker spat at him. "I'll give you a hint. It's wired to the entire room. I press this button and" The Joker waved his arms in a mushroom cloud formation, swinging his legs down off the armrest, placing them on the ground and leaning forward to stare at Nightwing. "Boom." He whispered.

He leapt to his feet and threw his arms out before crying "Well, what do you think?"

Catwoman slithered across to a perch behind the joker, and shifted into a pouncing position.

Before the Joker could even blink, Nightwing raised his arm and fired a projectile from his wrist. The dart tore through the air slicing through the detonator, rendering it completely unusable. The Joker stared at it with a mixture of surprise and fright on his face, though he felt neither. He preceded to push and then smash the button a multitude of times, before turning back to Nightwing and screeching "That's not fair!"

"Joker. It's over." Nightwing bellowed in a monotone voice.


	5. Chapter 5

The room was devoid of sound as the butler and knight operated side by side on the unconscious cat and bird. Nightwing sat, legs outstretched, on a bench in the corner, stitching up his own bullet wound. His expressionless face was held together by sheer determination, covering the overwhelming feeling of failure and regret.

Alfred finished operating first, and turned from Selina to go help Bruce with Tim. After they had stabilized both patients, they helped Dick put on a hinged knee brace that would allow him to continue walking without further damaging his knee until it healed.

Batman beckoned the rest of the group over, forming a circle in front of the Batcomputer.

"He's still out there."

The entrance to the Batcave from Wayne manor abruptly was sent flying down into the chasms of the cave, only for a white-skinned, green haired clown clutching the limp form of the police commissioner to stride through.

"Speak of the devil and he shall appear, eh Batsy?' he glanced around at the group and saw how on edge they all instantly were, "Oh calm down about the whole 'secret identity' thing. I've known for years. It's quite obvious really." No one relaxed. "Oh. It was worth a shot, I guess."

He tossed Gordon down the steps and began to tap dance down. He stopped, and called out "Harley dear, could you please send down the explosives? It appears we're going to need a whole lot of them."

"Of course, pumpkin." Came the ringing reply. The Joker grinned and turned his attention back to the group, who were slowly edging toward their weapons.

"You wouldn't want to do that. Old Gordy here is stuffed with the best stuff in edible explosives. Right off the line. Who knows what might happen if they were to detonate!" The Joker flashed them a view of the detonator. "And it looks like I've caught you out of costume, so no wrist-darts." He glared at Nightwing. "Really I hated those. They're just so horrible."

Harley appeared, dragging a cart filled with C4. "Here you go, Mr. J."

As the Joker became distracted by the explosives, Batman began tapping in Morse code on the Batcomputer console.

_Here's the plan—_

"Ooh! Yes please to tell me. I'm dying to know. Oh wait, no, that'd be Gordon over there. SO SHUT YOUR PIE HOLE YOU STUPID WINGED RODENT!"

The Joker returned his attention to the explosives and began to set them up around the entrance.

Batgirl shared a glance with Bruce, and then Batwoman. Batman and Batgirl both pretended not to notice when Batwoman drew a small EMP generator from hidden in her hair, and activated it. Although nothing appeared to happen, all the electric and electronic devices fizzed out. The Joker and Harley continued to set up explosives. Harley screeched at one of the goons to bring more explosives.

Selina stood peering out of the door at the group. Batman saw her first, and signaled her to look for a small black and red watch with a button on the side. She was confused at his bizarre request, but began to search anyway.

The Joker rose to his feet, and turned to face his enemy. "It's been a _blast_, but I really have to _go up_ or I might just _explode_ at the lot of you. Toodles!" Harley waved goodbye as they left.

As soon as they were out of sight, the Joker tossed aside the fake detonator he had been advertising, as he knew the circuits were fried anyway, snatched the real detonator from a goon and blew in the entrance sealing the cave completely off. He smiled coyly as the various Bat-vehicles then exploded, knowing that no one had noticed him plant explosives there as they were communicating to Selina. He then laughed aloud as they drove off, "Harley, isn't it adorable that the bombs inside of Gordon were actually chemical reactants and will explode regardless of a detonator!"

"Of course, hun." She delightfully squealed in response.

Blood and innards coated the walls of the Batcave, soaking all of the living people in what remained of their friend.


End file.
